Eagles Training Camp Preview: The WRs

One of the more fascinating position groups to watch at training camp will be the wide receiver group.

It will begin with quantity – 14 in all.

It will end with what the Eagles coaching staff hopes will be five or six quality pass-catchers.

Right now, it is a very unsettled position after a certain 33-year-old receiver who hasn't played all 16 games in a season since 2013, and that was the end of DeSean Jackson's first stint with the Eagles.

Over the next several days leading up the expected opening of Eagles camp on July 28, each of the team’s position groups will go under the microscope.

This is the third installment and examines the wide receiver group.

DEPTH CHART

WR 1: DeSean Jackson, Jalen Reagor, Quez Watkins

WR: 2: Alshon Jeffery*, Marquise Goodwin, J.J. Arcega-Whiteside

Slot: Greg Ward, John Hightower

Others: Deontay Burnett, Robert Davis, Shelton Gibson, Marcus Green, Manasseh Bailey, Khalil Tate.

*Starts season on PUP

WHAT’S CHANGED

Newcomers: Start with the draft picks: Reagor, Hightower, and Watkins. Fill in with the undrafted free agents: Bailey and Tate, who was a quarterback at Arizona, but will attempt to convert to receiver.

Departure: Nelson Agholor, who signed with the Las Vegas Raiders as a free agent.

HIGHLIGHT REEL

That would be DeSean Jackson at the moment. When he is healthy, and last year it was only for one game and a handful of snaps about two months later, he is simply electric. In that one and only full game, he had two touchdowns of 50-plus yards and had the city in a full lather about what he could do the rest of the way. Turned out to be nothing.

Reagor is the heir apparent to Jackson in this category and watching him in camp should be a treat, especially if what he said after he was drafted is true: “I play like I’m 6-4 but I’m 5-11.”

CAMP BATTLES

There should be several, starting with Arcega-Whiteside who is coming off a disappointing rookie season. There were reports that Arcega-Whiteside battled an undisclosed injury a season ago, one that may have existed when he was drafted.

Now, out to prove that he deserved to be taken in the second round of the 2019 draft, he will have to fight off competition from a variety of players. Perhaps the stiffest battle Arcega-Whiteside will face for a starting spot opposite Jackson (until Jeffery is ready to go) will be from Goodwin, who needs to prove he can stay healthy.

If Goodwin can’t, the Eagles have other candidates who challenge to start, including Reagor, though head coach Doug Pederson said the rookie first-round pick will initially come in to learn the backup spot behind Jackson.

That leaves perhaps Hightower, who played all three receiver spots at Boise State.

Is Ward even safe in the slot? There will be a battle there with him and maybe Hightower and perhaps even Reagor.

Whoever emerges as the starters, the battle that will be waged for a month or so to figure it out should be entertaining.

ROCKY

(THE LONGSHOT)

Khalil Tate. Tate was an athletic quarterback at Arizona who will try to switch to the receiver spot. It is the same path Ward took, going from a QB at Houston to receiver. It took three years, but it happened for Ward.

Tate started 32 games, with 11 starts in each of the past two seasons and threw for more than 6,000 yards in all 40 games he played in, with 2,285 yards rushing in his four seasons.

The development of Tate will require similar patience by both player and team.

WHO STAYS ON THE 53?

Jackson, Arcega-Whiteside, Ward, Reagor, Goodwin, Hightower.

(Jeffrey goes on PUP)

WHO GOES?

Watkins, Tate, and either Bailey or Gibson go the practice squad while the team says good-bye to Burnett, Davis, and Green.

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